KEY rule changes have been approved by the FIVB Board of Administration in its recent meeting in line with the body’s Strategic Vision 2032 project.
The most significant rule change to receive the green light from the sport’s global leaders is the abolition of mid-rally video challenges.
No more mid-rally video challenges
As per the FIVB, volleyball’s global governing body, teams will no longer be allowed to contest a potential violation they may spot while a rally is ongoing.
Instead, there will now be a streamlined video challenge process in which a team can request for a challenge at the end of a rally on any given action or sequence at any given time from the first serve to the final point of the said rally.
The reason for such a rule change is simply to ‘reduce sudden rally interruptions.’
As a pro league adherent to FIVB rules, the PVL is expected to evaluate and implement the rule revision ahead of the remainder of the 2025 season later this year.
Similar to basketball, beach volleyball teams now get to keep a video challenge request in the event of inconclusive video evidence.
Double contact rule
A reinterpretation of the double touch rule, commonly applicable to setters, is also in order both in beach and indoor volleyball competitions.
The FIVB explained its revised regulation as follows, which will first be tested in indoor play in the oncoming 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) before further assessments for future events.
“Double contact will be allowed during the setting action, provided the ball remains on the same side of the court, with faults only called for two clear consecutive touches.
“For balls played into the opponent’s court, as well as catches and lifts, the current interpretation will still apply.”
Rotation fault
To provide a clearer rule interpretation, the FIVB amended the existing notion on rotation errors for the receiving team in a rally.
The first referee’s whistle will queue players to be in their corresponding on-court positions.
Once an opposing player draws contact with the ball upon serving, that will be the only time in which the receiving players can switch positions to prepare for their attacking sequences.
Any positional change prior to an opponent’s serve will be ruled as a rotation fault.
Other key developments
The FIVB is also set to institutionalize a global celebration of World Volleyball Day every July 7.
That date back in 1895 marked the first public exhibition of the sport’s founder in William Morgan.
And as part of the sport’s global initiative of promoting inclusivity and visibility, all women’s national teams beginning VNL 2026 and the succeeding World Championship events will be required to register at least one female coach.
In beach volleyball, coaches will now be allowed to be on the field of play to directly instruct their players similar to indoor volleyball.
This will first be tested by the FIVB in the remaining beach volleyball competitions later this year.
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